Coming Soon:Bee City Canada

Bee City USA could not be more excited that our neighbors to the north are paying us the highest form of flattery: they would like to copy our program for Canada! It all started when Toronto business owner, Shelly Candel met representatives of Bee City USA affiliates in three Oregon cities and towns--Talent, Ashland and Pheonix. In fact Talent, Oregon, was the second community to be certified after the home of Bee City USA, Asheville, North Carolina. They quickly recruited their neighboring towns and today there are 15 cities in 8 states and growing.

Candel’s new friends in Oregon were ecstatic as they described how their communities had coalesced under the vision of establishing more habitat for pollinators of all kinds.

In its simplest definition, pollinator-friendly habitat contains a broad diversity of native plants, free of pesticides and blooming throughout the growing season, and includes natural areas for pollinators to nest and overwinter. The program’s structure requires applicants to empower a standing committee to serve as the liaison between the citizenry and the municipality on pollinator habitat matters.

public and private sector to launch a sister program to Bee City USA. Like Bee City USA, Bee City Canada will likely require municipal councils to adopt a resolution and complete an application to earn certification. In the application and resolution they must commit to having or linking to a web page about their program and letting the public know of their commitment, holding at least one annual awareness event, and reapplying for certification each year with a report on what they accomplished on behalf of pollinators the previous year. In the United States, those accomplishments include everything from

planting demonstration gardens to reviewing municipal pesticide policies, making presentations to kids and adults about pollinators and their habitat, creating recommended species lists, to conducting inventories of native bees…

The ways that urban and suburban areas can welcome pollinators into their landscapes is endless; however, the mission of the Bee City program is to change our landscaping paradigms to automatically consider the pollinators in our plant selection and in our pest management decisions.

What's Next

Just as Bee City USA did in 2012, Bee City Canada must establish its processes and procedures to inspire Canadians to action. Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Based on what we have seen of the leadership group of accomplished individuals Shelly Candel has assembled from the David Suzuki Foundation, Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative and Wildlife Preservation Canada, they appear to be well on their way.

​Breaking News

On March 30th Toronto City Council will vote on Toronto becoming the first Bee City in Canada. This has generated quite a buzz, offering a fabulous opportunity to join voices in urging the City of Toronto to sign the resolutions and adopt the new Canadian sister program to protect and promote the importance of pollinators in our city and in our own backyards.

Thanks to the many Toronto voices for shining a light on pollinators and sending an encouraging message to city councillors. Join them by adding your voice to the conversation @BeeCityCanada.